Herald Blogs

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation to allow gays and lesbians to marry in the only New England state where they can't.

The House voted 51-19 after an often emotional debate that touched on civil rights, religion and the nature of marriage. The bill now moves to the Senate, where both supporters and opponents of gay marriage say it is difficult to predict the bill's fate.

"This has been a long journey," said House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is gay and supported same-sex legislation when it was first introduced in 1997. "Today is a great day. Today ... we stand for equality, we stand for justice."

Folks are talking about Sadie, an 11-year-old trans girl who asked why President Barack Obama didn't mention transgender people during his inaugural address this week.

"Sadie was so proud of President Obama for including the gay community in his inaugural address on Monday; however, she felt like the trans community wasn't included," Sage, Sadie's mother, told The Huffington Post on Tuesday. "That inspired her to write her own 'speech.'"

David Hall got an unexpected call a week ago Tuesday, just after 9 p.m. On the line: the Presidential Inauguration Committee. Would he be willing to be a co-chair for the inaugural celebration? Citizen co-chairs are people whose stories help illustrate the president's first-term accomplishments. The president wanted him there because of Hall's efforts to overturn Don't Ask Don't Tell.

The president. Wow. Hall said yes. Less than a week later he found himself in the Oval Office, sitting across from President Barack Obama.

Hall lives in Washington, D.C. now, but his path to the White House began in Anchorage, in 2004. Back then, he was an Air Force veteran and the top cadet in his Air Force ROTC program at UAA, headed for pilot training, which was his dream. He was also gay and dating Jack Glover, another cadet.